Postprandial triglyceridemia is modulated by insulin resistance but not by grade of obesity in abdominal and morbid obese subjects.

BACKGROUND Obesity is associated with high cardiovascular risk. Postprandial lipidemia has been associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Our aim was to identify whether anthropometric parameters, insulin resistance (IR) and/or fasting plasma triglycerides may determine postprandial changes in lipoprotein concentrations in abdominal and morbid obese subjects. METHODS we have studied 20 non-diabetic, normolipidemic subjects with abdominal obesity, 20 morbid obese subjects and 20 healthy individuals, that have similar age and gender. In all of them a standardized oral fat load test (OFLT) with unsaturated fat was performed. RESULTS during the OFLT, the postprandial triglycerides response was significantly higher in subjects with abdominal obesity compared to morbid obese subjects (4 hours triglycerides pick value and AUC of triglycerides). Both obese groups showed significantly higher postprandial triglycerides response compared to healthy subjects. Dividing the obesity group according to the presence of IR, we found that IR was an important factor related with postprandial lipemia but not BMI or waist circumference. In addition, postprandial glycemia and insulinemia significantly decreased in all studied subjects, being the highest decrease in morbid obese subjects and in subjects with IR. Postprandial triglyceridemia significantly correlated with IR parameters and not with anthropometric parameters in AO and MO subjects. CONCLUSION in subjects with AO and MO, postprandial triglycerides values are higher than healthy individuals and independently predicted by fasting IR parameters. Furthermore, unsaturated fat improved IR state.